lamont
Contributor
yup, that's cause for immediately thumbing the dive.
Reason for near miss in Mexico???
- Thread starter deeze
- Start date
Please register or login
Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.
Benefits of registering include
- Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
- A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
- You can make this box go away
gypsydiver19
Guest
Hi, Maybe I am reading this wrong, but; I didn't think we should ever be holding our breathe while diving??? I'm just glad everything was o.k. for you. The last time I did a "Palancar" dive in Cozumel the rental equip. I saw some of the divers using was pretty worn out. I'm not saying thats the standard but on that dive it was.
Welcome to the board and heres to safe diving!!
Welcome to the board and heres to safe diving!!
SparticleBrane
Contributor
Holding your breath on scuba is an interesting beast.
Technically, the only time when you'd have to worry about holding your breath is when you're ascending--because the problem is due to expanding air in your lungs as pressure decreases. Note that I'm not condoning holding your breath, just talking about a technicality. Personally, I make it a point to never told my breath.
The way I'm reading the OP's post, it sounds as if he held it for a moment to see what the pressure was. Probably not the best of ideas, but it could have been much worse too. I agree with everyone else--seeing an SPG do that = call the dive immediately.
Technically, the only time when you'd have to worry about holding your breath is when you're ascending--because the problem is due to expanding air in your lungs as pressure decreases. Note that I'm not condoning holding your breath, just talking about a technicality. Personally, I make it a point to never told my breath.
The way I'm reading the OP's post, it sounds as if he held it for a moment to see what the pressure was. Probably not the best of ideas, but it could have been much worse too. I agree with everyone else--seeing an SPG do that = call the dive immediately.
lamont
Contributor
you can always pause in your breathing with your airway open.
OP
deeze
Registered
- Messages
- 8
- Reaction score
- 0
- # of dives
- 25 - 49
Hey Guys... thanks for all the great replies. That really sheds light on what probably happened. From now on I'm going to purge the air before I put on the regulator as part of my set up drill. It makes sense because it just started “boom” at 80 feet, suddenly it was hard to breath and the needle went wacky. I’m pretty close to 100% positive that I could have experienced total blockage just as easily. That’s pretty scary to think my air supply could have just cut off. I own all my own gear but didn't have any with me in this instance.
In fact, if I'm to be honest... every night after that dive I've sent chills down my own spine and wake up in cold sweats when I reenact the incident in my head. I think about how the "situation" really stacked the cards against me. You see, my dive buddy was the dive-master because I didn't have a buddy on that dive and there was really no way to keep up with him. Don't get me wrong, he was a great leader during the dive and kept a great eye on everyone and was also aware of my situation but the decision we (basically I since it's my life down there) was for me to ascend and continue. I free dive (spearfish\lobster) in the Florida Keys many times a year so I'm pretty comfortable in 20ft of water. However, compressed air is different and causes the body to act differently underwater. I’m very susceptible to nitrogen narcosis… even the drunk looking frog on my favorite t-shirt can attest to that. Anyway, you couldn't be more right LAJim, I should have taken quick action to my buddy and then to the surface. I think about those articles I read about people who die and think... they just had a weird situation like me... and probably made similar decisions as I did... and look. OK, I'm jittering again. It's just crazy how fast things happen and how tiny inconsequential things can add up to monumental problems at 80ft. I think back to what a great beautiful dive that was and look at the great photos and try to force the fact that I could have easily died if one more tiny inconsequential thing happened.
Oh yes... and just a pause with my airway open to check the reaction of the guage.
In fact, if I'm to be honest... every night after that dive I've sent chills down my own spine and wake up in cold sweats when I reenact the incident in my head. I think about how the "situation" really stacked the cards against me. You see, my dive buddy was the dive-master because I didn't have a buddy on that dive and there was really no way to keep up with him. Don't get me wrong, he was a great leader during the dive and kept a great eye on everyone and was also aware of my situation but the decision we (basically I since it's my life down there) was for me to ascend and continue. I free dive (spearfish\lobster) in the Florida Keys many times a year so I'm pretty comfortable in 20ft of water. However, compressed air is different and causes the body to act differently underwater. I’m very susceptible to nitrogen narcosis… even the drunk looking frog on my favorite t-shirt can attest to that. Anyway, you couldn't be more right LAJim, I should have taken quick action to my buddy and then to the surface. I think about those articles I read about people who die and think... they just had a weird situation like me... and probably made similar decisions as I did... and look. OK, I'm jittering again. It's just crazy how fast things happen and how tiny inconsequential things can add up to monumental problems at 80ft. I think back to what a great beautiful dive that was and look at the great photos and try to force the fact that I could have easily died if one more tiny inconsequential thing happened.
Oh yes... and just a pause with my airway open to check the reaction of the guage.
mikerault
Contributor
That it happened at a specific depth, it may have been a partially open valve. My son-in-law had the same thing happen (in the same location oddly enough...) I had turned his valve on then the helpful DM checked it, turned it all the off and then backed it open 1/2 turn....
Did the tank have a J-valve?
Professional DMs often make very poor buddies in these circumstances. If you are responsible for a large group your ability to help the buddy is reduced. Some "non-US" diving operations are at safety standards below what we should expect locally. I've seen several CF dives in Cabo San Lucas that started with the dive operation loading more divers than the boat could handle, unsupervised small children on the boat, currents, overhead boat traffic, etc., etc.
While a lot of people think nothing of going some place on vacation and going full out on an activity like diving, this can be a poor idea with poorly kept-up equipment, overloaded DMs who are effectively solo divers, sub-par boat operations, and other issues. Diving in these places suggests going as part of a team with a consensus on limits and procedures. Having part of the gear takes some of the uncertainty out but you are stuck on rental Al 80s in these environments. Check for current hydro's and visual inspections.
Find some more experienced, solid dive buddies and work on a few basic skills with them. Have a dive where the plan is for someone to call an out of air (at 30 ft. with good viz and no current) and then an air share and ascent.
Jim
While a lot of people think nothing of going some place on vacation and going full out on an activity like diving, this can be a poor idea with poorly kept-up equipment, overloaded DMs who are effectively solo divers, sub-par boat operations, and other issues. Diving in these places suggests going as part of a team with a consensus on limits and procedures. Having part of the gear takes some of the uncertainty out but you are stuck on rental Al 80s in these environments. Check for current hydro's and visual inspections.
Find some more experienced, solid dive buddies and work on a few basic skills with them. Have a dive where the plan is for someone to call an out of air (at 30 ft. with good viz and no current) and then an air share and ascent.
Jim
OP
deeze
Registered
- Messages
- 8
- Reaction score
- 0
- # of dives
- 25 - 49
Yea, DM's do make bad buddies. I was trying to hunt down someone with a lot of experience but was finally paired with the DM on the second dive team. I was getting the feeling that the first guy I picked out with "tons" of experience was acting maccho and probably a bad choice too...
Sounds like the 1st stage may not have been serviced and the intermediate pressure couldn't be delivered properly, from either debrise or misadjustment. Causing the gauge to jump when he inhaled. One of the things i teach my OW students is after initial setup breath off their reg. while watching the gauge, if the needle moves the first stage is in need of service. Never had it happen yet ,but we teach them to be aware.
Similar threads
